DK Grammar Guide

108

For statements

using “be,” the short

question uses the

same form of “be.”

For other verbs, a

form of “do” is used.

The negative is

used to match

the statement.

“I am” becomes

“are you” because

it is directed back

at the speaker.

The past simple of

“do” is used to match

“went,” which is the

past simple of “go.”

The third person

form “does” is

used to match

“studies.”

Short questions must be in the same tense as the statement they ’re responding to.

If the statement is positive, the short question should be positive and vice versa.

The subject from the statement is replaced with the relevant pronoun.

SHORT QUESTIONS

Short questions are a way of showing interest during

conversation. They ’re used to keep conversation going,

rather than to ask for new information.

Short questions

See also:

Present simple 1 Forming quetsions 34

Types of verbs 49

FURTHER EXAMPLES

108-109_Unit_40_Short_Questions.indd 108 08/08/2016 14:58

109

Here, “have” is an auxiliary verb

forming the present perfect.

The subject and verb

are not inverted, but

this is said with a

rising intonation.

If a statement contains an

auxiliary verb, including

modal verbs, that auxiliary

verb is repeated in the

short question.

In US English, short questions

are sometimes not inverted.

SHORT QUESTIONS WITH AUXILIARY VERBS

SHORT QUESTIONS IN US ENGLISH

FURTHER EXAMPLES

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